On Board Special Aircraft: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today (Dec 7, 2003) said the alleged offer of money by Ajit Jogi to split the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the "most shameful episode in the history of Indian democracy".

"A leader has literally been caught with his pants down," Advani told reporters on his way to Raipur to attend the oath ceremony of Raman Singh.

He said it is all the more imperative now that we bring the anti-defection law into force. There should be no delay in bringing the bill to amend the anti-defection law in Parliament.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who also accompanied Advani, said that the Bill to amend the anti-defection law will be brought in the ongoing winter session.

She said recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee has already been submitted to the Government.

The amendment makes an elected representative liable to be disqualified for changing a party.

Earlier, the law was that disqualification would be affected only if one-third of a part defected form the parent party.

PTI